Congress voices displeasure over CJI's remarks

New Delhi: Congress on Monday voiced its displeasure over Chief Justice of India H L Dattu's remarks hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi as "a good human being and a man with foresight" and said it would have been a "better option" for him to keep his personal views personal.

"Judiciary is an important part of our constitutional framework. Independence of judiciary and its credibility are its corner stones.

"It would have been wise had the honourable Chief Justice of India, whom we respect a lot, had kept his personal views as personal lest expression of such views has a possibility of reflecting upon the decision making process," party spokesperson Randip Surjewala told reporters here.

He said that restraint is perhaps the key word in such situations.

"Self restraint from the highest judicial officer of the country would have been better. Keeping his personal views personal would have been a better option," he insisted.

In an interaction with the media on Friday, Dattu had said, "I rate him as a good leader, good human being and a man with a foresight and one who wants good governance."

He had also said that the judiciary's relationship with the government has been very good and that its demands have been taken care of by the government.

Seeing red in Dattu's remarks, Opposition parties had said that constitutional boundaries must be maintained and exercised by all.

"He is entitled to his personal opinion and assessment about the Prime Minister. But I am sure he would not let it influence the impartiality of judicial pronouncements. I am sure (his views) will not affect his judicial impartiality," Congress leader Digvijay Singh had yesterday said.